Here’s the truth no one puts in the glossy pre-conference hype posts. You will get eaten alive if you do not show up with a plan. The MJBizCon expo floor hosts 1,000+ exhibitors. Every brand wants a meeting. Every afterparty wants your energy. And if you’re not careful, your calendar will betray you by Day 2.
The good news is, you don’t need superpowers to crush Weed Week in Las Vegas. You just need strategy and intention. The same kind of strategy PR pros use to glide through the chaos while staying booked, hydrated, and suspiciously unbothered.
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Consider this your no BS playbook to surviving MJBizCon and networking without the burnout.
If a conference week in Las Vegas had a difficulty setting, it would be expert mode
The folks who make the most of it are not the ones who go to every single session, after-party, and off-site get-together. The ones who make the most of it are hyper-intentional about their objectives, time, and when they need a break. Here are seven frameworks I recommend new and seasoned MJBizCon-goers consider if they want to get more out of their week in Las Vegas this year.
Be intentional, not everywhere
Most rookies run the floor like they’re trying to win a step challenge. Pros know you’re not here to see everything. You’re here to make moves and accomplish specific goals and objectives.
Try this framework:
- Three must-meet people scheduled before you land
- Visit two booths that solve real problems for you or your clients
- One spontaneous conversation per day
You do not need five hundred business cards. You need five conversations that matter.
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Panels are great, but only if you work them
Panels are not passive.
Before you walk in, ask:
- Who here may I meet afterward
- What insight can I reference later to make a follow-up land harder
- What knowledge am I looking for that will help me and/or my clients and colleagues
Parties are fun. Parties are also work.
The cannabis industry does nightlife extremely well. Think rooftop dab bars, infused mocktail lounges, and the classic “step outside with me for a smoke break” moments that somehow turn into forty-five-minute chats. This is the zone where burnout takes most people out.
A rule of thumb I try to go by: Leave the party while you still feel good and can wake up early. Don’t let your connections and potential deals hinge on your ability to stay upright, hydrated, or uncomfortably stoned.
Your personal command center. Your MJBizCon tech stack
If you take nothing else from this guide, take this section.
Keep a running “conversations” sheet with:
- Name
- Company
- What you talked about
- Their pain point
- Your promised follow-up
- Deadline
If it’s your thing, add color coding, and you’re suddenly the most organized person in Las Vegas.
Hydration and survival kit
Vegas is dry. Convention Center air is even drier. And that infused pre-roll you said yes to after the party will not help your cotton mouth.
In your survival kit, you may want to include:
- Electrolytes
- Eye drops
- Chapstick
- Hand sanitizer
- Backup portable charger
- Gum
- A CBD/CBG gummy for those “I partied too hard but still need to be a professional” mornings
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Your calendar should look like a game plan, not a war zone
Build in breathing room between meetings or those meeting marathons. Throughout the day, give yourself a moment to take:
- Ten minutes to calmly walk to your next meeting
- Five minutes to reset
- Five minutes to take notes that free up mental bandwidth
Your follow-up strategy is where you actually win
You didn’t fly to MJBizCon for selfies (although Fat Nugs Magazine’s Faces of Cannabis activation is absolutely incredible). You flew there to build momentum, make moves, and meet the people behind the brands you’ve been watching all year.
Send follow-up emails within forty-eight hours.
- Reference something specific from your conversation
- Tie it to a clear next step
- Keep it relatively short and sweet
- Focus on one clear ask, not six
Energy management is networking management
Networking is a performance sport. To stay sharp:
- Eat real food, not just non-infused gummy samples someone hands you at a booth
- Step outside every two hours for fresh air
- Put your phone on silent mode before a big meeting
- Wear shoes you could speed-walk in if you’re racing against the clock
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The real secret to MJBizCon success
MJBizCon is where the cannabis industry from all parts of the country (and even other parts of the world) gets together for one week to connect, catch up, learn, and take big swings. Show up intentionally. Show up prepared. Show up knowing exactly why you’re there. Do those three things, and the odds are in your favor of having a blast while feeling like you got the job done.
*This article was submitted by a guest contributor. The author is solely responsible for the content.